Mahabharata Quotes - Drona Parva

After Bhishma falls in battle on the tenth day, there are two important decisions taken. The first is Karna's entry into the war, and the second is the appointment of Drona as the commander of the Kaurava army. The fiercest, bloodiest battle takes place in this parva. It is perhaps most famous for the killing of Abhimanyu, the sixteen year old son of Arjuna, but there are several other incidents that are noteworthy, especially for the way in which they bring out the utter despair of war.

"Learned ones say that in this world, association with the virtuous is more important that a relationship resulting from birth. Do not make your association with the Kurus false."
[Bhishma to Karna, Dronabhisheka Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 4]

"Someone whose objective is at stake, sees things in a different way that another person never can."
[Karna to Duryodhana, Dronabhisheka Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 5]

"Death can never be prevented through brahmacharya, the study of the Vedas, rites or weapons."
[Dhritarashtra to Sanjaya, Dronabhisheka Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 10]

"Your son knew that Drona was partial towards the Pandavas. Therefore, to make him stick to the pledge, he made the counsel generally known. ... Duryodhana proclaimed among all the soldiers that Pandava would be captured."
[Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra, Dronabhisheka Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 11]

"An extremely heavy burden has been imposed on you by the Pandavas. You should advance to the fight only after you have thought over whether you have the capacity to bear this."
[Sumitra to Abhimanyu, Abhimanyu-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 35]

"But with well-aimed arrows, you are capable of slicing down his bow, his bowstring, the reins of the horses and the two charioteers who guard his flanks."
[Drona advises Karna, Abhimanyu-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 47]

"There are worlds attained by those who touch brahmanas, cattle and fire with their feet and those who release plegm, excreta and urine in water. If I do not kill Jayadratha, let those terrible ends be mine."
[Arjuna voiwing to kill Jayadratha, Abhimanyu-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 51]

"You are my preceptor. You are not my enemy."
[Arjuna replies to Drona while retreating to go towards Jayadratha Jayadratha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 66]

"Crows, vultures and wild crows flew around and seemed to form a shadowy canopy over the field of battle."
[Jayadratha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 68]

"Your soldiers were like a forest and Krishna was like the wind. The angry Pandava Dhananjaya, with his ray of arrows, was like the fire."
[Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra, Jayadratha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 68]

"Though you have obtained your livelihood from us, you have been engaged in bringing injury to us. ... You are like a razor dipped in honey. ... I displayed weak intelligence in depending on your assurances and your weapons."
[Duryodhana to Drona, Jayadratha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 69]

"You were the cause of the hardships that Droupadi faced in earlier times. Where is that insolence, pride and swagger about valour now?"
[Drona to Duhshasana, Jayadratha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 98]

"But I am not Arjuna. O Drona! I am the angry Bhimasena, your enemy. ... Saying this, Bhima whirled a club that was like Yama's staff and hurled it towards Drona, who leapt down from his chariot. It uprooted Drona's horses, charioteer, standard and chariot and crushed many other warriors with its energy."
[Bhima confronts Drona in his search for Arjuna, Jayadratha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 102]

"Eunuch! Idiot! Glutton! You have no skill in weapons, but wish to fight with me. ... You should be where there are many kinds of food and things to eat and drink. ... You should be there and should never fight.."
[Karna, as he spares Bhima's life, Jayadratha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 114]

"O Partha! Men quickly pick up the deeds and conduct of those they consort with. This can be seen in you."
[Bhurishrava addresses Arjuna, Jayadratha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 118]

"O Radheya! With you as a protector, if only words could bring success. ... You are always thundering, like clouds in the autumn, which do have any water."
[Kripa taunts Karna, Ghatotkacha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 133]

"O brahamana! If I decide to thunder then, how does it harm you in any way?"
[Karna responds to Kripa, Ghatotkacha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 118]

"'In a fight between a boar and a dog, when either one dies, the hunter gains'."
[Dhritarashtra to Sanjaya Ghatotkacha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 157]

"'In the battle, one should not have shown mercy to the exhausted ones, while they were resting, because they are successful in their objective.'"
[Duryodhana to Drona, Ghatotkacha-vadha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 160]

"'The learned ones have laid down certain tasks for brahmanas - officiating at sacrifices, teaching, donations, performance of sacrifices, receiving gifts and sixth, studying. O Partha! ... To which of these was Drona, who has been slain by me, devoted?.'"
[Dhrishtadyumna to Arjuma, Narayana Astra Moksha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 168]

"This is just as you killed the brave Bhagadatta, your father's friend. Having struck your grandfather in the battle, you thought that you were acting in accordance with dharma. When I killed my wicked enemy, why do you not think that it is dharma?"
[Dhrishtadyumna to Arjuma, Narayana Astra Moksha Parva, Drona Parva, Ch 168]

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